Thread by @costareports

One episode on Jan. 5 that deserves more attention: Trump issued a statement late at night speaking for Pence, hours before the next day's certification.

Trump declared he and Pence were in "total agreement that the [VP] has the power to act."

Of course, they were not.

"This breaks protocol," Pence chief Marc Short said tersely in phone call with Trump adviser Jason Miller, who was at the Willard with Giuliani and Bannon, among others. Miller refused to retract a word.

From pgs. 233-234 of PERIL

Why this matters: the Trump-Pence Oval meeting on Jan. 5 was not the end of it. Even when Pence flatly refused to do what Trump wanted, Trump soon decided to issue a public statement defining the vice president's power and position on the election.

And even when Pence was at home for dinner on January 5, the pressure campaign continued.

Let's not forget: Giuliani was hoping to come over there and have his own one-on-one talk with the VP... a follow up to Trump's Oval showdown with Pence

Three main plays at Pence on night Jan. 5:

1-Trump pushes him in Oval, but fails

2-Statement then stuns him, his aides by declaring Pence *in agreement* with Trump

3-Giuliani pushes for one last 1-on-1 push at VP residence, but Pence's advisers stop it from happening

Pg. 233 of PERIL

Boris "Epshteyn told [Pence adviser Marty] Obst Giuliani would be happy to come over to Pence's residence and have a discussion. For Obst, the suggestion felt straight out of a bad mafia movie."